Identification of Moves of Informal Internet-based Chats Between Iranian EFL Teenagers and Foreigners

This study aims at explaining informal Internet-based chat format with respect
to its genre and writing components and system. The researchers analyzed 53
chat samples which were produced by 53 Iranian students in high intermediate
and advanced levels of English in a private institute while chatting with
foreigners. Besides the genre analysis, the purposes why people all around
the world chat on the Internet were investigated based on these samples
i
. Five
moves and seven purposes were found. Our data suggest that although purposes
of samples are different, they follow the same moves. The results show that
informal Internet based chat concerns with different purposes as chatting for
improving English language, familiarity with different peoples and countries,
friendship, finding a sexual partner or talking about religious or political ideas